Visit the Railroad Museum

For our last location activity, my group and I decided to travel to the Railroad Museum. At first I thought to myself that this museum was just all about the interior of the trains. Boy, was I wrong! This was probably my favorite location activity because I was actually excited to learn all this interesting information about how “working on the railroad” days would be like in the past.

What I selected to report on was the design of the train. What I thought was really appealing about the design of the “old train” was its inside corridors. The hallways were so extremely small that I could hardly fit though with out turning sideways. This made me think to myself about how life was lived around that period of time. Traveling by train was a normal way to get from point A to point B. In this period of time, people usually travel by cars or planes. Perhaps graffiti is also a turn off for most travelers today. People see that the outside of a train covered and paint and think “trashy”, therefore the insides are useless as well. Also, undersized hallways were also most likely accustomed to their lifestyle. Room’s fancy, padded seats that were so close to one another was probably just a normal way to travel as well. Today, trains are most likely used to shuttle supplies, therefore, making the rooms more spread out and less fancy for few travelers. Obesity is also a big issue today, so if the trains were used for passengers, the hallways would be large enough so that one could pass through. Designers worked hard on the interior and exterior of trains and we should all take that into large consideraction.

What I did like about the train was that it communicated to me on more of a deeper level. I realized that back then, glamour and fashion was easy to come by. Nowadays, people design graffiti on the outside of the trains, not caring about what goes on inside. Back then, passengers appreciated and respected the style that the designers created to make the train more exciting. What we need to realize that the transition we have made from one era to the next has been such a large one.

Location Activity: Visit the Railroad Museum

Carlie Kappl

Mass Communication

Location Activity: Visit the Railroad Museum

Okay, so in my last post regarding museums I said I hated them and they creeped me out. They still do, but the Railroad Museum was actually very interesting. I have never been a fan of trains considering they run through my backyard at home, and they are very loud and obnoxious. However, I enjoyed my visit to the museum. We even got to board one of the trains in the exhibit and walk around it.

It is very scenic. When you first pull in there are trains everywhere outside. There is a large gift shop in the entrance that sells all sorts of train stuff. I should have picked up something for my four-year-old nephew who has a love affair with Thomas the train. Next time.

And that's the thing. I would actually go back to this museum and take a closer look around at it. Something interesting I saw was that they had displays of different parts of the railroad, like this huge sledgehammer-like thing called a spike maul.

This bad boy can safely strike a spike on either said of the rail, where an ordinary sledgehammer cannot because the head on it is too short. This tool makes it easier for the worker to drive several spikes without having to move to the other side of the rail.

The exhibit also had three other trains lined up with it. These were un-boardable, but they had a festive display of Christmas presents in the front of them on a stage with a chair for people to sit and get their pictures taken in front of.

The trains were obviously massive, but it was interesting to seem them up close. For more information about the exhibits, visit

http://www.nationalrrmuseum.org/en-Us/exhibits/collections/default.aspx

In another room, there were displays of old time scenes of people working on the railroad with descriptions of each scene.

Interestingly, it turns out the museum serves a multi-purpose. People can book birthday parties and wedding receptions there too. For more information visit

http://www.nationalrrmuseum.org/en-Us/news/event_calendar/default.aspx for more events and for more information on how to book your own event.

Location Activity: Visit the Railroad Museum

Lauren Gregory

Mass Communication


For the location activity, our group got together and visited the Railroad Museum located in downtown Green Bay. I definitely have to start off recommending it for everyone! I mean, how often do you get to board an actual train without a pesky guide following you around?

To me, the most significant part of my tour was in a very large warehouse room that’s home to four refurbished trains. The three other girls and I boarded one of the passenger trains and immediately noticed lots of cool things; including a dining room set up in the middle.

An interesting yet inconvenient thing about the train we boarded was that the walkways were very narrow. If four college girls were scraping their arms on the sides of the train‘s walls, I can’t imagine an oversized adult with luggage trying to get on and off! That train had closter phobia written all over it.

There were many tools and things on display that struck me as being very interesting as well. My favorite being the display showing how they used dynamite to blow tunnels through the mountains.

This activity was an obvious relation to the history of dominant transportation means and how that changed over time. I found it very interesting because although trains aren’t used as exclusively as they once were, they still play an important and economical role in transportation today.

Also, after looking at most of the them, I couldn’t help but notice the size of the trains themselves were getting bigger. It actually didn’t surprise me much at all because it seems to go hand in hand with the American idea that bigger is better.


To check out an interactive slideshow of the museum click here:
http://www.nationalrrmuseum.org/en-Us/exhibits/exhibits/default.aspx

Location Activity: The Railroad Museum

Crystal VandenAvond

Intro to Mass Communication

Location Activity: Visit the Railroad Museum

"1. Describe what you saw and take a picture to support what you saw (include yourself or your group in the photograph).

2. Reflect on at least two things that struck you as odd/unusual/interesting related to mass communication.
3. Describe how the activity related to the history of that field and to at least one more medium."


Okay, for starters, our entire group went to the Railroad Museum on Broadway in Ashwaubenon. I think that this was the best location activity we have done. (Well, maybe it's tied with the Lambeau tour, but it sure beats the Neville!)

Anyways, we saw a lot of neat things here. First off, there was a train that we were allowed to go into that they used to use in the olden days. (Right). The train was so so so small inside. I hard a had time fitting through the walkways with my purse, I couldn't imagine what it was like in the olden days.

The bathrooms inside on the train were extremely small. I literally could just put my body in there and sit, that's it!

Trains have changed so much from how they used to be, and they aren't as common of a way of transportation.

For example, the photo right below is a picture of what they used to hall freight on. These little cars were attached to the train, and freight was haled. That is so interesting!! It is not like that anymore. The freight cars now are closed in, and are not made out of wood. It just really astounds me how much things change!
This whole experience really related a lot to history. Seeing how much things have changed over the years and decades.

Including advertising. If you take a peak of this picture at left, you can see me and all of these "billboards" from the olden days. These signs used to be advertising for companies and businesses. If you take a look at a sign now it has grown so much from how it used to be!

For one, they aren't as old fashioned looking, and they have evolved so much! The sense of advertising and transportation is so much different nowadays!

To get the experience that I got at the Railroad Museum, check out their page at http://www.nationalrrmuseum.org

Take a fashion website and together a list of the ways the fashion industry molds the way we perceive ourselves and bodies.

Carlie Kappl


Mass Communications


Take a fashion website and together a list of the ways the fashion industry molds the way we perceive ourselves and bodies.


My bible has an official Web site: cosmopolitan.com


Not only do I have a year long subscription with which I read through almost every article, but I often visit the Web site for extended tips on life, love and yes--fashion.



I'm not sure who gave Cosmo the okay to tell women who are 17-37 how to dress, but sure enough, fashion is one of the sections that makes it into every issue with a page dedicated to "7 things to crave right now" which shows 7 styles that every woman should own. Also, there are plenty of pages dedicated to "who wore it better?" between celebrities, choose the best style for your shape, etc.


But people actually buy into this stuff. I mean, I take some of these suggestions seriously, but I think the tips mostly account for good reading. But some fashion ideas such as the high-waisted houndstooth baggy pants that fold up at the bottom paired with a tucked in shirt? Sorry, not my style.
However, I can appreciate their suggestions on the best haircut for your face shape. These people obviously know what they're talking about, and I trust them to help me decide how to cut my hair. This could possibly in part be due to the fact they tell me I can wear my hair basically however I want.


I've been anti-bangs since about 8th grade, but when I saw Reese Witherspoon on the cover of CosmoStyle a few months ago, I actually allowed my hair to be cut into bangs.

Obviously Reese Witherspoon wasn't the only inspiration behind my look, but when you see the style on a hot celebrity, it definitely makes you whip out the scissors a little bit faster.


Curious about how to get the hair that gets you want you want? Visit www.cosmopolitan.com/style/hairstyles/ for more details.


Cosmo also has some great tips regarding makeup application and colors that are great for your skin and eye color that actually make sense. Cosmo may be corrupting the world a little by strongly influencing its readers about fashion, but if they didn't want to be corrupted, they wouldn't read the magazine, right?


Do you want to be on the fast track to becoming a "fun, fearless female"? Visit https://subscribe.hearstmags.com/subscribe/splits/cosmopolitan/cos_sub_nav_link to order your own subscription to Cosmo. Don't worry guys, there's a "Cosmo for your guy" section in every issue.

Take a fashion website and together a list of the ways the fashion industry molds the way we perceiver ourselves and bodies.

Crystal VandenAvond

Intro to Mass Communication

Research Activity

"Take a fashion website and put together a lists of ways the fashion industry molds the way we perceive ourselves and our bodies (male or female)."

For this assignment, I checked out http://www.fashion.net/. I was absolutely astounded by the photos I seen on this page.

The pictures that they have of women up there, are something that unrealistically a woman couldn't ever look like! But it is what every woman in society wants to look like.

For instance, the picture that I have posted (at right) was one of the featured photos of the day. Now, keep in mind, the website that I was at was fashion.net. I am still trying to

figure out what part of this photo has fashion in!

This woman has to weigh under 100 pounds, and is wearing, what appears to be, somewhat of a cheetah, or leopard print outfit. She is tied up to this tree, and a snake is circling around her body. She is unable to move, because she is tied up, but yet, she is fashionous in this swimsuit!

I bet you that this company has sold tons of this style of a swimming suit. (I was unable to get the exact number of how many suits were sold, but it said that is was the most popular suit.)

Everything about this picture is wrong! Everything! This is totally degrading to women!

This picture also makes us think that we too need to be under 100 pounds, not have a single curve in our body, or a single wrinkle in our face. There isn't an ounce of fat on her arms, and her face structure is 'beautiful.'

Also, the advertisement for this dress (left). This woman is nothing but skin and bones. She also does not have a curve on her body. Not even breasts.

This dress was available in sizes extra-small, through medium, and was over $250.00!!!

If a "fashion site" sells a beautiful dress from XS-med, how is that supposed to make me feel?

My body type is not allowed to be fashionous for. I wear a size large in a top. I have extremely broad shoulders, and no hips whatsoever. My body type is not accommodated for, and I really was feeling sick to my stomach looking at the fashion site! I actually started to feel bad for the way that I look. I even know that I am an extremely beautiful person, and I have many great qualities and traits...but apparently not compared to these women!

Check out the website, look at some of the photographs of these women, and clothes, and tell me how it made you feel! http://www.fashion.net/

Take a fashion website and put together a lisis of ways the fashion industry molds the way we perceive ourselves and our bodies (males or females):

A fashion website that I chose to discuss was http://www.abercrombie.com/. Abercrombie fashion is an important topic to me because it was all I would wear in High School. What might be appealing to some viewers, is just wrong for others. After looking at the Abercrombie website, I realized what the website was actually portraying to its viewers. It's saying that you should have an awesome body, probably be naked, and take control of situations in life, usually when it comes to the opposite sex.

Usually, the fashion industry has a controversy about the female or male models being too thin, but in this case it is an entirely different issue. When I would just shop normally at Abercrombie, I would buy the clothes that I thought were “in” and whatever just looked nice on my body. But when I went to the website to shop online, I thought to myself, “Wow, these models are looking really hot, but they sure aren’t doing a good job modeling the clothes because they don’t have ANY ON.” Most of the male models on the websites were just showing off their huge muscles, standing against an object,playing some kind of dominating sport, or kissing a girl. Abercrombie's website doesn't usually show many of the models showing off their clothes, it just protrays how the viewers should live their life.

What I think that is absurd is that most of Abercrombie’s shoppers are high school teens. The messages that Abercrombie’s website is giving to them is that the more naked you are, the better it is. Also, the more a man is in control of a situation; the better the situation can be for him. Sex, great bodies, and controlling situations are considered fashion to Abercrombie’s fashion, but I just think it’s wrong. What these pictures aren't doing is showing the shoppers how awesome the clothes are, it's just showing the opposite.

Take a fashion website and put together a list of the ways the fashion industry molds the way we perceive ourselves and bodies.

Take a fashion website and put together a list of the ways the fashion industry molds the way we perceive ourselves and bodies.

Lauren Gregory

Mass Communications


Flawless skin, perfect hair, ideal height and weight are just a few things I added onto my to do list after checking out Expressfashion.com. Based on appearance, some may deem me as being out of fashion, but after browsing the merchandise and the way Express presented what they had to offer, I will take being ‘out of fashion’ as a compliment.


Although I personally consider fashion to be confusing, culture-specific, ever-changing, dynamic, and expensive, I still regard it as one of the most successful and prevailing industries in our culture. Not to mention the hundreds of magazines, stores, and Hollywood stars devoting much of their lives to be considered “in”, by those who are not.

Last time I checked though, individuality was my favorite character trait, and showing up to a party in the same get up as the other girls seems like the most contradicting way to be original and remembered.

In humanities this year, I studied time and kleos, which translates simply to honor and glory; two closely related terms found in the Iliad (Greek times). After killing in battle, a warrior rewards himself with his victim’s armor, which in turn enhances the way they are viewed by others. Meaning the best warrior had the best (most) armor.

One of the most highly regarded philosophers of all time, Homer, said that the never-ending battle to gain time and kleos in hopes of not being forgotten is intrinsic and will continue for all time.

Now, centuries later, this everlasting fight for honor and fame is still around but unlike Greek warriors, people are unaware of their deepest intentions. According to Homer, the instinctive desire to be the best is eternal. The only difference now is that for teenage girls, gaining a dead man’s armor is out, and fashion is in!

Using this to their advantage, fashion industries thrive off being considered “the best” which makes them capable of fishing out the most desired models in the world. They continue on by advertising everywhere to reinforce and define their concept of an ideal person. As a result, people mimic what they see; some going to greater extents as did the MJ impersonator to the right.

One of the most apparent and problematic downfalls to the fashion industry is that by painting the walls of our country with an irrational idea of perfection, we are essentially destroying who each one of us is. If Homer was correct and a snowball effect occurred, this could potentially mean that we are sacrificing and forgetting who we are in order to fulfill our innate desire to be remembered.



For fun, watch video clips from the movie Troy, which is based on the Iliad here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JEmW6qYfhqE

Then…

Check out Australia’s next top model and notice the similarities between what drives these girls and the warriors at Troy.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hd2Hu26Tm1Q

Finally…

Read up a little bit on America’s most famous plastic fashion model, Barbie!
http://www.yaleherald.com/archive/xxvi/12.4.98/opinion/holley.html

Reflect on early childhood and choose a particular television program and reflect on its effect

Crystal VandenAvond










Intro to Mass Communications










Research Activity







"Reflect on early childhood and choose a particular television program and reflect on its effect. . For example, how did Sesame Street or Power Rangers affect you then and now?"



As a child, my absolutely favorite show, in the whole-wide world, to watch was: "Blue's Clue's!"



After coming home from kindergarten or first grade, I would sit in front of the television and watch another exciting episode of Blue's Clue's! This happened every day until about fifth grade.



Watching Blue's Clue's was a way for me to escape my daily-life, or start my weekend. It filled my mind with more imagination and power.



For those of you who don't remember, Blue's Clue's was about a little dog, "Blue", and his owner, "Steve." (Upper left) Blue would give clues to Steve about what he wanted to do that day, or where he wanted to go. Steve would get only three clues from Blue. The clues had Blue's paw print on them (right). Then Steve would draw the clue's in his "handy-dandy notebook."



After Steve figured out the three clues, he would sit in his "thinking chair" to put the clues together and figure out what Blue was telling Steve.



Within this time, Blue would "Skadoo" into pictures or photos where "another life" would be. When I was younger, watching Blue and Steve skadoo into a photo seemed really neat to me. After watching the show, I would say what Steve would always say; "Blue skadooed, we can too." (Then Steve would follow Blue into that photo.) And I would try skadooing into a picture on the wall.



This never worked, and always left me with a hurt head, and sometimes a broken picture.



Also, when I were to hang out with my cousins, we would play Blue's Clue's around the house. I think that this was good for us as children to use our imaginations, and run around the house to get exercise.



But, now that I am older, I do not watch Blue's Clue's, nor do I have an interest in it. I occasionally I will scan past it on a Saturday morning on Nick Jr. Sometimes, I will stop and watch it for a few minutes to remember my childhood days.



I really think that Blue's Clue's is great for children. It helps children learn colors, numbers, shapes, etc.

To meet the characters of Blue's Clue's, check out http://www.gazehound.com/blue2.htm

Reflect on early childhood and choose a particular television program and reflect on its effect:

When I was younger, all I wanted to do when I got home from Pre School was to turn on the tube and watch Scooby Doo with my mom. Scooby Doo was probably one of the best half an hour power naps she had at that time. But as for me, it was a time fantastic time, a half an hour period for me to escape into my own world of mystery and excitement.

When I was younger, watching Scooby Doo filled up my head with storylines and gave me a sense of justice. I had planed when I would get older, I would just be like gang I would catch the next “bad guy” or “monster”. Before I watched Scooby Doo, I was like any other kid; afraid of monsters in my closet or underneath my bed whenever I turned off the light. Watching Scooby Doo proved to me that the bad guys always got caught and that monsters were actually some loonies just in stupid masks. That made me feel at ease and more relaxed to go to bed at night. Probably a disadvantage that Scooby Doo had on my childhood was that I thought all dogs could talk. I would talk to my Golden Retriever at the time, and would grab her by her collar and go searching for clues in the middle of the night around my house. Unfortunately, not only did my dog ever talk back, but my parents would always catch me. Not only did Scooby Doo make me love dogs, but at those really scary times, I realized it was okay to be scared, just like Scooby was. It was a great program that made me use my imagination and gave me strength and courage when I needed it the most in my development years.

Now that I am in college and I know that talking dogs don’t exist, I don’t ever watch Scooby Doo. I admit that I didn’t even see the movie when it came out. I am glad that I watched Scooby when I was younger; it made me have a great and care free childhood. I think that the wonderful programs, such as Scooby Doo, are the best programs to let your children watch. Monsters might be scary to some children but to others, like myself, it was just a chance of something new and exciting. Scooby Doo gave my childhood entertainment, courage, humor, fantasy and a sense of justice.

The Scooby Doo 1968 Theme Song: http://youtube.com/watch?v=H-HOyx_FH4E

Reflect on early childhood and choose a particular television program and reflect on its effect

Carlie Kappl



Mass Commuication



Research Activity

Reflect on early childhood and choose a particular television program and reflect on its effect


I grew up with three older brothers. And when I say older, I mean older. My brothers are 13, 12 and four years older than me. I was a spoiled brat, and my brothers made me pay for it. Not only did they make we watch scary Michael Myers and Jason movies, they would make me watch shows like Married with Children and the Simpsons that were probably a little out of my age range. But I enjoyed them, and my parents never censored me from these televison shows.

For information about how or why to watch and explain television to kids from a father's standpoint, visit http://www.medialit.org/reading_room/article52.html

Both of the above programs are fairly clean if you don't pick up on the between-the-lines subliminal sexual messages, but once you start getting older, you start getting wiser.

However, when the language itself is repeated over and over, you don't have to bother reading between the lines. When Bart grumbles, "Eat my shorts!" or Homer yells, "Damn!" it sticks with kids. So does Barney and Homer's repeated actions of slamming Duff beer in just about every episode. This is probably why when many of my friends were younger, they weren't allowed to watch the Simpsons.

I don't think the show morally corrupts you in any way; it may just teach you a bit of minor French and introduces other adult concepts. I have a bad habit of swearing and have dealt with this habit for years. I don't think it's a bad thing, but it can sometimes get out of control. Being a college student, I also drink to have a good time, which also at times can get a little out of control. I wonder if watching these television shows when I was so young had an impact on my language and drinking habits today.

And then I remember: I had three older brothers who also liked to go out and party and two very open parents dropping f-bombs all day. Too bad you can't censor your family.

Visit http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/simpsons-the-family-values-role-model-1050478.html to read why David Quinn allows his children to watch the Simpsons.

"Reflect on early childhood and choose a particular television program and reflect on its effect. . For example, how did Sesame Street or Power Ranger

Lauren Gregory

Mass Communications


Growing up in a very conservative and religious family, having time to watch tv was very unlikely. However, I was allowed to watch Full House whenever it was on. Almost like the Tanner family, I could easily relate, having three sisters and twin cousins of my own. Now, as I watch Full House on Nick and Nite, I am quickly beginning to realize that their portrayal of the “not-so-typical” yet ideal family isn’t very realistic at all.

For those unfamiliar with Full House, it was a very popular sitcom in the 80s and 90s based out of San Francisco. One of the main characters, Danny Tanner, is forced to raise his three daughters, DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle on his own after losing his wife. Moving in to help raise the girls is Danny’s brother in law Jesse and best friend Joey. The sitcom eventually featured an aunt to the girls, Rebecca, and her twin boys…all living under one roof.

Looking at its effect from a typical standpoint it might seem that Full House is on the positive end of the spectrum. Especially when compared to other popular shows of the time such as Beverly Hills 90210. For years it still seemed the only problems my sisters and I had was that we became obsessed over Full House exclusively, and constantly had this tainted version of what an ideal family life was like.

We began to treat what we saw on television as reality, and quickly separated ourselves from our “not so perfect” version. Tim Leary, a psychologist and former researcher amongst his many other highly regarded credentials, puts it this way. “You’re beginning to think that the tube is reality and that your own lives are unreal…you do whatever the tube tells you”. Also, in the video link below, I heard an unknown man's voice quoting "we are being constantly conditioned to take on a certain reality".

Looking back, it’s easy to see how oblivious my sisters and i were to the truth behind what we were obsessing over. We spent hours upon hours recreating our own episodes of the show and often got into pretty heated arguments over who got to play Michelle.

Fighting over make believe roles may seem frivolous…but try explaining that to an eight year old!

The frightening possibility that Tim Leary and many other researchers are right, would pin point many of the problems in today’s society. One such problem is growing up with an impractical perception of reality and wasting your life trying to fulfill this "fake" dream-like lifestyle that may only exist on the tube!!

When thinking of the later effects of such shows, I, like Tim Leary am afraid that television is becoming much too synonymous to what we call “hallucinogens”, which are defined as false or mistaken ideas, delusions. Looking back, I am quite certain that the typical combination of shows such as Full House, Sex and the City, and Walker Texas Ranger for example has the definite potential to create a warped perception of reality in our minds that could possibly become indistinguishable from actual reality.


Check out this weird yet interesting video called"Think for yourself" on youtube regarding
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1zXuhR7OJd8&feature=related

For kicks, check out part of one of my coincidentally favorite episodes of Full House:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3a1P4z25zVU&feature=related